Latest science news in Astronomy & Space
Planets Living on the Edge
(PhysOrg.com) -- Some stars have it tough when it comes to raising planets. A new image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows one unlucky lot of stars, born into a...
NASA: Ionosphere not where it should be
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency says it has discovered the boundary between the Earth's upper atmosphere and space has moved to extraordinarily low altitudes.
Test Flight Planned for SpaceShipTwo Carrier
WhiteKnightTwo, the mega-carrier plane that will haul Virgin Galactic's suborbital spaceliner SpaceShipTwo to launch altitude, is expected to make its first flight before year's end.
Seeing The Shape Of Material Around Black Holes For First Time
After culling the literature for observed black holes, astronomers looked at 245 active galactic nuclei to characterize the shape of material swirling around them. The result: active galactic nuclei look...
Light on the dark energy mystery
Observations of the effect of dark energy on galaxy clusters suggest general relativity is alive and well.
FOR KIDS: Meteorites may have sparked life on Earth
A collision of extraterrestrial objects and Earth’s ancient oceans could have produced raw materials for life
University of Virginia to probe Milky Way history in Sloan Digital Sky Survey III
Astronomy is a science of origins. 'It's the ultimate exercise in archeology,' said Steven Majewski, a University of Virginia professor of astronomy and lead scientist on a new project to...
Solar flare surprise
Solar flares are the most powerful explosions in the solar system. Packing a punch equal to a hundred million hydrogen bombs, they obliterate everything in their immediate vicinity. Not a...
Study proposes explanation for migration of volcanic activity on Mars
Picture a ball. It's an ordinary ball in every way except that it is roughly 4,300 miles in diameter and is moving through the cold of space some 35 million...
Moving in for the winter toxic brown recluse spiders pose danger
As the cold weather creeps in, so do brown recluse spiders. True to their name, the brown recluse is a shy, reclusive spider looking for a warm home. Drawn to...
TOP TEN NEWS STORIES: Most Viewed of 2008
An alien-like squid with "elbows" is caught on video, unknown "structures" are detected tugging at our universe, and more--2008's most read stories by National Geographic News.
Dancing With the Nerds
Welcome to the Star Party! - Intro: What a Telescope Does
In this helpful guide to amateur astronomy, the friendly crew of Orion Telescopes and Binoculars introduce you to the night sky and how to best observe it.
Global Satellite Telephony Competitors Sharpen Knives for Tough '09
The battle between satellite companies is likely to get rougher.
Vendee Globe route seen from above
Wind and wave data from ESA's Envisat satellite radar are being used to observe meteorological conditions in the track of the Vendee Globe solo round-the-world yacht race...
Alan Pickup: Star watch
They hang like a stray piece of tinsel in our Christmas sky, yet references to the Pleiades date from long before the Christian era. The cluster of stars is mentioned...
Planet Formation Could Lie In Stellar Storms Rather Than Gravitational Instability
New research suggests that turbulence plays a critical role in creating ripe conditions for the birth of planets. The study challenges the prevailing theory of planet formation. Using three-dimensional simulations...
Yes We Can(ned the space program)!
Obama's transition team might be screwing up things at NASA. He's talked the space talk, but can he walk the space walk? read more
Discovery Of Warm Plasma Cloak Surrounding Earth, New Region Of Magnetosphere
A detailed analysis of the measurements of five different satellites has revealed the existence of the warm plasma cloak, a new region of the magnetosphere, which is the invisible shield...
Titanic Telescope Scans Skies For E.T.
Daniel Terdiman visits the Allen Telescope Array, which is currently the world's first large-scale telescope meant for the full-time use of the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) project.
Astronomers dissect a supermassive black hole with natural magnifying glasses
The team of astronomers from Europe and the US studied the 'Einstein Cross,' a famous cosmic mirage. This cross-shaped configuration consists of four images of a single very distant source....
Astrophysicists recreate stars in the lab
Greater understanding of energetic processes in stars could accelerate development of clean energy from nuclear fusion: ESF project brings together astronomical theory, observation and experiment...
Astronomers Dissect a Supermassive Black Hole with Natural Magnifying Glasses
Combining a double natural "magnifying glass" with the power of ESO's Very Large Telescope, astronomers have scrutinised the inner parts of the disc around a supermassive black hole 10 billion...
ESA Satellites Focusing On The Arctic
The Arctic is undergoing rapid transformation due to climate change, pollution and human activity. ESA's ERS and Envisat satellites have been providing satellite data of the region for the last...
Black & Decker Unveils Their New Thermal Leak Detector
(PhysOrg.com) -- Now you can find and plug up those leaks around your home once and for all. Black & Decker is offering an innovative leak detector, in about a...
Friday night special: 30% more moonlight
If the moon hits your eye like a pizza pie tonight, you might wonder who ordered the extra large.
The Medium Is The Message: Manipulating Salmonella In Spaceflight Curtails Infectiousness
Scientists have explored the novel environment of space to investigate the cellular and molecular machinery of virulence. Some of the latest findings are derived from experiments aboard NASA space shuttle...
Calgary Zoo to reopen stingray exhibit
The Calgary Zoo is planning to reopen its stingray exhibit seven months after the unexplained death of 41 rays.